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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29452011">out for revenge</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllHaleOlicity/pseuds/AllHaleOlicity'>AllHaleOlicity</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Arrow (TV 2012)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Next Generation</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:56:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,439</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29452011</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllHaleOlicity/pseuds/AllHaleOlicity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>late night gate #2</p><p>Melina, Thomas, &amp; Jade and the story vaguely leading up to where they are currently</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>out for revenge</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="">
<p></p><div class=""><p>It took only 5 seconds.</p></div><div class=""><p>5 seconds for Melina to realize that Jade was the perfect addition to her friend group that consisted, at that moment, of just her and Thomas.</p></div></div><div class="">
  <p>She was young. They all were. Things were simple then. Jade mentioned a show or movie that Melina also loved but could never get Thomas to watch. He was a typical 12 year old boy. He loved Melina. Threw a few punches in her honor on the playground. But he would not watch this stupid movie with her.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>But Jade? Jade would not only watch it, Jade would understand it. Talk about it. Play through it as if she were in the movie right along with Melina. Thomas would sit back and watch them with pure confusion. These were his best friends.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He felt no need to find a guy friend. Jade and Melina were enough. Melina and Jade both knew how to take care of themselves. They fought and wrestled with Thomas just as much as he played house with them.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>They were an unbreakable trio.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It only took 5 seconds.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>5 seconds for Melina to find out she was offered a scholarship to her dream school...but she had to leave right away.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>No time to prepare. No time for goodbye.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Thomas and Jade were more than supportive. They told her that they would visit her so much that she would dread coming home for break. They told her she would grow tired of them before she could even miss them.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It only took 5 seconds.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>5 seconds for Thomas to call Melina and ask her if she can sneak away for a boat trip. It would only take a week or so out of her life. She could take a break from school. She deserved a break from school.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It took 5 seconds for Melina to decline.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"The sooner I finish, the sooner I can get your ass out of jail." She told him, a caring tone in her voice.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She missed him. She missed Jade. She was gonna miss them more knowing they were on a boat traveling and having fun while she was in college to become the best damn lawyer this city had ever seen....aside from her mom, obviously.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It only took 5 seconds.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>5 seconds for the news to break through whatever was playing on the tv. Melina was home with her parents for the weekend, still studying. Her friends were on a boat, no one was there to tell her to not study for the weekend.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Time froze...but it went by quickly. It doesn't make sense. But neither did this.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Words flashed on the screen, Melina was too focused on her book to pay attention at first.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The words "Oliver Queen" were said. Melina glanced up at the tv in front of her.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It took 5 seconds.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Melina read the words. She understood them immediately. But she denied it.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Words, again, flashed on tv. This time, she was too caught up in brain to even get context.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Billionaire. Queen. Storm. Boat. Missing.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>All words that were supposed to mean something with context but she couldn't get her brain to focus on them.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Her parents walked into the room. Like Melina, they immediately understood the words too. All of them were shocked. Too shocked to say anything. They just stared blankly at the tv, not listening to a single word being said.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It took 5 months</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>5 months for the funerals to take place. 5 months to decide that one of the most powerful families on this side of the country were gone.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The boat was never found. Everyone eventually decided the fate of the Queen family. It was time to move on.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The funeral was quiet and small. Not a lot of people really knew the Queen family anymore. 3 empty graves were placed next to Felicity Smoak.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Melina's parents helped Jade's family with a grave nearby.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It took 5 years.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>5 years for Melina to move on. She missed her friends still. They were like family to her. They were the only friends she had ever really known.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Her heart broke for Clara, who had just turned 10. She had a hard life. A dad who tried his best, but was always working. A mom who died after she was born. A brother who tried to be there for her but couldn't help getting caught up in teenage bullshit.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Clara deserved better. They all did. But Clara more than anyone else.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Melina graduated from NYU. She began working as a shadow to her mom in Star City. Following every move, every investigation, every interrogation. She was gonna learn to be the best damn lawyer. That was still her plan. Even if she didn't have a favorite potential client anymore.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It took 5 seconds.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>5 seconds for someone to walk into Melina's office, take the remote from her desk, and change the channel to a news station.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"Thomas Queen Found Alive."</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Melina struggled with her thoughts, trying to figure out how he was found after 5 years. After the boat went down. After-</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She raced out of the office and to the Queen Mansion.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It took 5 minutes.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>5 minutes to know Thomas wasn't the same. Jade was with him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jade was the only one with him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Both of them were broken versions of themselves. They were tied together with fake smiles. But clearly being at the Queen mansion, surrounded by furniture that used to be occupied by a happy and loving family, was taking a toll.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Melina was even more heartbroken than she was before. Maybe it was seeing her friends in pain. Maybe it was knowing a hard working single father and a small innocent girl didn't make it with the two of them. Maybe it was everything rushing back.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"We're home." Thomas told her, a painful smile on his face. Melina ran to his arms immediately.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It took 5 months.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>5 months for life to come back together just for it to come crashing down again.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Thomas held Melina back as a building fell down in front of them.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She was struggling, trying her best to get away from his grip. He's always been stronger than her.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>As more debris fell from the building, as the ground shook under their feet, Melina tried harder to pull away.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Thomas eventually moved to lifting her off of her feet just enough to be able to carry her to a safer part of the street as things fell close to where they were standing.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>5 minutes ago, Melina's dad made the decision to run into a building that was coming down. It was the Law firm that her mom worked for. She was still inside.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Now they were both inside.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>In a staticky tone, Jade silently apologized. This was just being spoken into the comms device that Thomas was wearing. She wasn't apologizing to anyone specifically. The words were just being said through tears.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It was her job to prevent the earthquake device. She failed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>5 days later there was another funeral.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Melina stood in front of two freshly dug graves. This time, instead of her parents, she had Jade and Thomas by her side.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>And in front of her, instead of graves marked Thomas and Jade, Tommy Merlyn &amp; Laurel Lance.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"Where were they?" Melina broke the silence.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jade and Thomas almost jumped at the sudden noise. It felt like a lifetime since the last time anyone had said a word.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"Who?" Thomas asked carefully, looking down at Melina. She continued to stare blankly at the graves.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"The vigilantes. The people who claim to want to help the city." She looked at Thomas after noticing that he turned to her. "Why didn't they do anything?"</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jade held her breath and her tongue. She felt like she might explode with all of the guilt that she built up inside.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"I-" Thomas started, but didn't know where to go. He didn't even know where to begin.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Melina turned back to the graves. If this city needs heroes so badly, then it deserves a hero that gives a shit.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"I'll take care of it." She said, again catching Thomas and Jade off guard.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She turned around and started to walk off. Her grandfather was waiting for her in the parking lot.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Thomas and Jade shared a concerned look. Their best friend had just lost her parents. The man who was now taking care of her is the reason it happened. And she blamed, unknowingly, her best friends.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>This was not going to be fun for anyone when the truth came out.</p>
</div>
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